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We can hazard a guess and say, “Of the more than 100 million people who get traffic tickets each year, zero people are happy about it.”
With fines, fees, surcharges, and insurance increases often costing thousands of dollars, it’s easy to see why. But did you know that it’s possible to get a warning instead?
Here’s how.
What Is a Warning?
A warning is just that: a warning.
When a police officer pulls you over, they are typically allowed to decide whether to write you a ticket or let you off with a warning. In places where police officers are required to enforce ticket quotas, it’s highly unlikely that the police officer will let you off with a warning instead of a ticket. Of course, few departments will openly admit to that.
Warnings come in two forms: verbal warnings and written warnings. Which kind of warning you receive depends on the police officer and the local law. Each of these two kinds of warnings functions slightly differently from the other.
For some violations in some areas, a verbal warning might be enough to let you get by scot free. For other violations in other areas, the officer might be required to write up a written warning for the department’s record-keeping system.
Verbal Warnings
A verbal warning is when the police officer says that they will be letting you off without a ticket. Usually this is followed up with something along the lines of “next time, you won’t be so lucky.”
Verbal warnings will most likely never show up on your permanent record. That’s because the officer most likely won’t have to report it to any regulatory agency, such as the Department of Motor Vehicles, Motor Vehicle Commision, Traffic Violations Bureau, etc.
Since verbal warnings tend not to go on your record, there’s typically no way for them to negatively affect your driving history. That means they won’t impact your license, your registration, your insurance, or your wallet.
Written Warnings
Written warnings are more official than verbal warnings. A written warning involves the police officer making an official note that they let you off with a warning. This is common to larger departments that rely on more bureaucracy in their day-to-day operations.
In smaller towns, where there’s a chance that everybody knows everybody, verbal warnings tend to be more common.
When you get a written warning, you should keep a record of it and file it away somewhere safe. These warnings can be logged with the police department’s record-keeping system. That means they will be able to use the written warning against you if you are pulled over for future violations.
Does a Warning From a Cop Go On Your Record?
Most warnings will not go on your driving record, but some written warnings might. The Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) doesn’t tend to keep a record of warnings. Instead, the DMV focuses its efforts on maintaining accurate records of traffic-related convictions. A warning for a traffic violation does not count as a conviction for any kind of traffic-related offense.
But just because warnings don’t go on your driving record doesn’t mean that they won’t go on record with the police department. Many police departments in the United States require officers to keep written records of any warnings that they issue. These warnings then get filed with the department’s record-keeping system.
This allows police departments to maintain higher departmental standards, ensuring that drivers are being held accountable for their actions. If one officer writes you a warning, the other officers in the department will be able to see that warning. This can significantly impact your next traffic stop.
Will a Written Warning Raise Your Insurance?
Most written warnings will never appear on your driving record. Since they don’t appear on your driving record, there will be no way for your insurer to find out about them.
If the DMV does decide to upload a written warning into their system and officially add it to your record, your insurer might be able to find out about it. Depending on the regulations in the jurisdiction where you got the warning, the DMV might make it visible on your driving record abstract.
The driving record abstract contains the most recent few years of your driving record. Typically, this covers the last three or four years. This is what the DMV makes publicly available to insurance investigators. If the warning goes on the abstract, insurance companies can find out about it.
Even so, it’s unlikely that a written warning will impact your insurance. Most insurance companies that find the warning will simply make a note of it and move on. Since it is not a conviction, there is little reason to treat it as such.
In the unlikely event of a written warning increasing your insurance, odds are that the increase will be only a tiny fraction of what a conviction would have gotten you.
How Many Warnings Do You Get Before a Ticket?
How many warnings you get before an officer writes you a ticket depends on a few factors. First off, it depends on whether the officer who gave you the warning recorded it with his precinct. If not, then the next officer might not know that you already got let off once and might let you off again.
Second, police officers from different organizations tend not to share all of their information with one another. If a police officer gives you a warning, there’s a good chance that a highway patrol officer won’t know about it. That means the highway patrol officer might be more lenient than they would have been had they known about your prior warning.
However, if you get pulled over a second time and the officer knows that you have been warned in the past, they will be less likely to give you a warning this time.
How Do I Get a Warning Instead of a Ticket?
Now, to the meat of the discussion!
When you get pulled over, the first thought that runs through your head is probably, “Am I going to get a ticket?” The answer to this question varies depending on who pulled you over and why. As we said earlier, it’s entirely up to the officer whether to give you a ticket or a warning.
Since it’s up to the officer, there are a few things you can do to make life easier for them. When their life is easy, they’re happy. When they’re happy, they’re less likely to give you a ticket. Here are seven ways to get a warning instead of a ticket:
Make the Officer Feel Safe
The first thing you should do after being pulled over is put both hands on the top of the steering wheel and roll down your front driver-side window. This way, the officer can clearly see into the vehicle and knows exactly where your hands are.
According to the FBI, in 2019 six police officers in the country were murdered in the line of duty during a traffic stop. While that number is not large, that’s a risk that all officers consider when stepping up to a vehicle during a traffic stop.
Be sure not to make any sudden movements or to reach anywhere without notifying the police officer of your intentions. The worst thing you can do in a traffic stop is to hurriedly reach for your glove box only for the police officer to think you’re reaching for a gun.
Be Calm and Polite
It costs nothing to be kind, but it costs a lot to get a ticket. Being kind and treating people with respect are two of the best ways to make somebody enjoy talking to you. To increase your chances of getting away without a ticket, focus on being polite to the police officer.
It’s easy to see how kindness can go a long way in making police officers let you off without a ticket. After all, people tend to treat other people the way that other people treat them. But it’s even easier to see how being rude can go a long way in ensuring that you do get a ticket.
Insulting the police officer, lying, or arguing can make the police officer frustrated and angry. Not only is a frustrated, angry police officer less likely to let you off with a warning, they’re also more likely to arrest you.
Don’t Drive Aggressively
There’s a fine line between speeding and reckless driving. But, when you cross it, the cost of your ticket can skyrocket. By not driving aggressively, you can show the police officer that you’re respectful of others.
Better yet, instead of just not driving aggressively, try to drive defensively. If you’ve taken a defensive driving course, let the officer know. That’s especially true if you’ve taken a course sponsored or put on by the law enforcement agencies themselves.
Ask for a Warning
Good things come to those who wait, but better things come to those who ask. If you think you deserve to be let off with a warning instead of a ticket, ask the officer. If you make them feel safe, treat them with respect, and don’t drive aggressively, you already have a decent case for a warning.
When you ask the officer to let you off with a warning, you’ll most likely get one of two possible responses: either an outright no or they’ll ask you if you have a good excuse.
Have a Good Excuse
There are few excuses good enough to convince most police officers to let you off with a warning. One of the best is that you’re rushing to the hospital. For example, if you’re driving with somebody who needs immediate medical attention but can’t wait for an ambulance, few police officers will punish you for getting them the help they need to survive.
Of course, most police officers aren’t lawyers. They don’t all love to argue. Once the police officer has made up their mind, stop trying to drive the point home. If you still believe you had a good excuse, plead not guilty and ask the judge to dismiss your ticket.
Some Professions Get Better Treatment
Unfortunately, not every job is viewed in the same light. Some people get better treatment than others based solely on what they do for a living. If you’re a criminal defense attorney, the bitter rivalry between cops and defense attorneys might get a ticket. But, if you’re a cop, there’s a good chance that you won’t get a ticket.
Make sure to think before you speak in this step. If you think your job will get you brownie points with a police officer, let them know. If you think your job will make the police officer hate you, don’t say a word about it.
PBA Cards
PBA cards are cards handed out to police officers (and sometimes family members of police officers) from the Police Benevolent Association. These cards show that you or a member of your family is an active law enforcement officer. That information just might be enough to convince the police officer to let you go with a warning.
Never Try to Bribe an Officer for a Warning
Under no circumstances should you ever offer the police officer any kind of bribe for a warning. Attempting to bribe a law enforcement officer has penalties that vary by state but usually includes high fines, a trust-related conviction, and up to 15 years in federal prison.
What Should You Do If You Got a Ticket Instead of a Warning?
Not everybody has the raw charisma necessary to talk your way out of a ticket. And even if you do, there’s a good chance that you won’t be lucky enough to be pulled over by a happy-go-lucky police officer looking to hand out warnings. Whatever the case, the WinIt app can help you fight your tickets.
WinIt helps you connect with expert legal professionals who know the local laws in your area like they know the backs of their own hands. Lawyers found through the WinIt app are in it to win it, willing to fight for you in court, and expertly trained.
If you’ve been issued a ticket instead of a warning, download the WinIt app and start fighting today.
